Kreol Morisyen
Sir
Hello ... Is that you who wrote the article on 'Indian'...good one.
Pawena
Hello, yes. Thank you so much for your message and appreciation. Thank you for reading also.
Sir
Good.
You have an 'open' approach in writing.
Pawena
Thank you, it's humbling to have you say this, Sir.
Sir
I am trying to differentiate between 'religion' and 'culture'
How to draw a line between religion and culture...say Mauritian Culture
How to keep religion away when we hold Mauritian events
How not to be a Hindu...muslim...creole...chinese When we all meet for a Mauritian Culture
Pawena
I believe religion is an institution that binds people to a force they blindly believe in whereas culture is the way of living of any community. Religion, ethnicity contributes to culture. But culture in itself is simply behaviour.
That's a beautiful thought to have, Sir.
Sir
Will you say Divali is Culture?
Pawena
From my experience living here in Singapore, and interacting on a daily basis with Indians, I do have this assurance that we do have a culture of "Mauritianism". This heavily pushed forth by the fact that we all unanimously speak Kreol Morisyen. We definitely can meet for an event without having religion at the centre.
Surprisingly so, we do it all as school goers but lose it as we grow older and become bound by existing societal barriers. Don't we go to educational outings together with our class mates?
It's an event.
Not religious in nature.
It's a different matter that when we grow older, all social events are either religious or political in nature.
I guess it's because of the hectic pace of Mauritian life.
Sir
I will say .... Lighting lamps ... singing bhajans...is religion
Wearing dresses....distribution cakes ...fireworks...are cultures
Pawena
If we went out for Yoga classes, or jogging. Or attend Spanish classes, this would have surely risen above religion. But we don't have that culture in Mauritius. Offices close at 4. Private tuition starts at 6 pm. No time to develop that culture and explore it.
I would say Divali in Mauritius is both religious and cultural.
Sir
Now on Eid....
Pawena
To answer your initial question.
Yes, as Eid is. Both religious and cultural.
I say this because, here in Singapore, nobody shares Divali sweets cross-culturally. Nobody wishes anyone 'Ramadan Kareem' cross-culturally. Festivals are only commercially celebrated and more of a tourist-whirl pooling contest. I mean, come on! They don't decently even have a Christian population and still gear up for Christmas, 6 months beforehand. But in Mauritius, a Muslim would receive Divali sweets.
A hindu would get Halwa for Eid Ul Adha.
Or Gato Lacire on Chinese New Year.
I would say that itis religious inside the house. It is Culture when we are outside all together.
Pawena
EXACTLY!
I would place it that way too. That we have a strong sense of sharing. And this sharing cross-ethnically makes for the culture,
Sir
I will say keep religion to yourself at home. Bring the culture when outside in community.
Wait ... Now for Eid... What is done at home and mosque is religion. Singing a qawal...in dresses....is culture. Same for Christians... And Chinese.
Pawena
Different people make different choices. You can't force anyone, right? But it would definitely be nice if it was that way.
It's the same thing with political meetings in Mauritius. Somehow, they make politics and religion immiscible.
Pawena
Yes. Performing prayers is religious. Everything else is cultural.
Sir
So how to ensure we keep religion at home and bring our culture when we are in community with others.
How to say I am a Mauritian ...nit a Hindu Muslim Christian
Not
In real...not only words.
Pawena
Discipline. And that itself is a culture. We need to accept first that we actually are Mauritians. Some will never say that. Fanatism. The same way some wouldn't say they are African although it's geographically this. Just because they have no feelings with being African. it's the way we have been educated. This entire feeling of Mauritianism is not encouraged. Introducing Kreol as a subject was a good stepping stone. But it was associated with Christians in the country. It's a question of unity.
And the feeling of it.
And then there are those associations.
They get grants.
HUGE financial grants from the government.
Why is there no group called Mauritians?
Besides, the Best Loser System is proof of how we think that we are not Mauritians first but Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Chinese first.
Sir
Question to you ... Ok?
Ready for my question?
Pawena
Yes, please. Go ahead.
Sir
Let's not talk politics...
Wait for my question
How many languages are there in Mauritius ? Tell me.
Pawena
At least 6-7. There may be more.
Sir
Good
Then why we say Creole language unites Mauritians
Why we ignore other languages ?
Is this fair .... as Mauritians...on other languages?
Pawena
Because all Mauritians, including the 'milates' speak creole. But not everyone speaks Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Mandarin. Here in Singapore, they don't have a common language except for English. So English unites the different ethnicities. But at home they speak their ethnic languages.
In Mauritius though,
both at home and in public
It's Kreol.
Some people of their own ethnities do not know much of their own languages. So, for me, Kreol is a big unifying factor in the making of Mauritius as a whole.
Sir
I do not agree on this. Mauritius is Multi Language
Pawena
Yes, it is multi-languaged. I do not deny this.
Sir
Not fair ...on other languages. And not a correct portrait of Mauritius.
Pawena
But the principally spoken language, the diction of prime is Kreol. It's not about being fair on other languages. Or unfair on them. It's how things are.
If someone pleases to learn a particular language, they can learn it.
Pawena
What is a correct portrait of Mauritius? A correct portrait of Mauritius is diversity? Portrayed through the many languages? Not for me. A correct portrait of Mauritius is unity in diversity. Portrayed by a multitude of languages spoken by choice but with a unifying prime language spoken by all despite themselves because it's our mother tongue and native language.
Sir
Next question...
What is the song music of Mauritius?
Pawena
Mauritius has no specific music. There's no music called Mauritian music except for the music composed by Mauritians. As such, a bhojpuri song composed by a Mauritian, a sega cmposed by a Mauritian, an opera composed by a Mauritian..
or a hindi song or a ghazal
sung and composed by a Mauritian
can be called a Mauritian song.
Sir
Ok ....
Pawena
My intention is not to offend or talk back, Sir. I promise. I'm simply stating my views. And I do respect your takes and perceptions immensely.
I truly hope that's okay. And I want to thank you for initiating this conversation and seeing me worthy of sharing this space with you.
Sir
I have been in Mauritian Community service for over 10 years.
I liked your 'I am Mauritian'
Also look at my FB postings.
I am trying my best to get everyone understand to keep religion away from Mauritian Community events.
I promote Mauritius as Multi lingual
With all languages.
I promote Mauritius with all music
The Sega...tbe bhojpuri ...the qawal...the lion dance
For me this is Mauritian Community.
Pawena
Wow. That's truly commendable. I'll surely see into your posts. I look forward to.
Yes, it is. It genuinely is.
Mauritius is multilingual and multicultural. There's no denying that.
Vrais... Question.... When you invite non mauritians to your events.... Sega only is not Mauritius Creole only is not Mauritius
So you have non Mauritians believing sega and creole is Mauritius. This is incomplete and not correct
Pawena
Of course it is!
Sir
Komprend la mamzel?
Pawena
Mauritius has a complex social fabric. Yes, Sir. I do get it. I agree. Fully. But just like I would never forget telling that Mauritius is diverse, I will also not forget to mention that we are united as well to a bigger extent that we Mauritians fail to see at times.
Sir
Mauritius is multi lingual.... Mauritius is multi cultural. Pas zis creole ek Sega. Which I speak and love to dance.
I also speak hindi...bhojpuri...and dance Bollywood.
I am a proud Mauritian...pure sang.
Pawena
Haha, I never said that Mauritius is 'zis creole ek sega'. And I did say twice that Mauritius is multilingual and multicultural. I love it all too. I am a proud Mauritian as well.
I do have question for you though, Sir.
If you would allow me the honour.
Sir
Yes ...tell me.
Pawena
Why do you speak only creole, hindi, english and bhojpuri? Isn't that unfair for urdu, marathu, tamil, telegu and mandarin?
Sir
A very good question ... Which I will not dare ask anyone in the same way you asked me.
Pawena
Was my daring of wrong nature or impolite, Sir? I apologise for this matter.
Sir
I will hate to dilute my appreciation...
Nice talking to you. Stay in touch.
I will email you a few of my writings.
Pawena
The utter honour was mine, Sir. thank you for this conversation. I will certainly have a read, anytime. pawenakaniah@gmail.com
Thank you, Sir.
Have a great time ahead, Sir.
Sir
Mer-si for sharing thoughts. Next time. Bye.
For the occasion of the nation's 50th year of independence, I have decided to publish a set 3 articles about our understanding of who we are as Mauritians and what is wrong with how we define ourselves and yet how marvelous it is. This first post is about our language: Kreol Morisyen. Discover facts about the language that unites us so deeply.
Why do I say and maintain that Mauritian Creole holds us tight, that it is the string that threads all of us diverse ethnic beads together, you ask?
I have lived 10 months in Singapore, and for how small it is as a city-country, let me tell you that it is a good enough amount of time. I have not only studied there, but also worked there. And I do understand a bountiful about its social fabric. Bountiful enough to be huff and puff at how it was pronounced the most harmonious and respectful multicultural country in the world. Dude, was Mauritius even counted in that list? Clearly, not.
Because I have seen Singapore as a society mildly hyprocritic among their diverse ethnic communities, this as hey each keep to their own languages. Tamilians will speak their Tamil to badmouth the Hokien who abuses the Malay in their hokien, There's no way that can happen in Mauritius as we all speak one homogenous language: the Kreol Morisyen. Try beating this wondrous language at unifying our country now!
1. Kreol evolved during slavery in the 18th century. It was created by the ethnic category now called Creoles, but it is the lingua franca of all Mauritian communities as well as the mother-tongue of most Mauritians.
2. Whilst in 2015, Kreol was recognised as a language by UNESCO, attempts at making Kreol an official language have nevertheless failed; in 1982, the radical MMM party, then in power for the first time, tried to implement it in the media and in schools, but were met with massive resistance -- not only from Indo- and Franco-Mauritians, but also, perhaps surprisingly, from Creoles.
3. Even if the Keol Morisyen is now a subject taught at school, it is still widely regarded as "the poor cousin of French", as an impoverished, shallow and context-dependent idiom.
4. The Mauritian Creole is spoken by not more than 1.5M million people worldwide. And hence, its wider use at the expense of French and English might strengthen Mauritius’ isolation.
5. Kreol is still vaguely associated with the Creole ethnic group and/or creolisation as it is understood locally, and Kreol thus has some connotations in identity politics.
6. We have no fully Kreol Morisyen newspaper. This means that French and English predominate in the media, in the educational system and in public administration, French being the main language of culture and English the main language of administration.
